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Potentially harmful garden plants

Serious poisoning by plants is very uncommon in the UK. Some garden plants present a hazard, but the risk of severe poisoning, skin reaction or allergy is generally low.

Quick facts

If it is not a food plant, do not eat it.Teach children not to play with or eat growing plants.Use gloves when pruning or weeding and keep skin covered. Do not leave prunings or uprooted plants in reach of farm animals or pets.Check plant labels for toxicity warnings (sometimes stated on label).

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What are the hazards?

Ingestion hazard

A small of number common garden plants are more toxic and could cause severe poisoning (see plant list below)

Contact hazard

Irritant sap may cause a burning sensation and sometimes blistering of the skin; anyone can be affected if exposure is sufficient

Some plants contain chemicals called allergens. These do not affect everyone, but some individuals may acquire sensitivity to them, resulting in an allergic reaction

A very small number of plants have sap which renders the skin excessively sensitive to strong sunlight. Contact with the plant followed by exposure to sunlight results in very severe, localised sunburn with blistering and long-lasting skin discoloration

What to do if there's a problem...

Human ingestion or skin contact

If you think a child or adult has eaten part of a doubtful plant, seek medical advice immediately from a hospital Accident & Emergency department

Take a sample of the plant with you

Do not panic and DO NOT try to make the person sick

Animal ingestion

Seek veterinary advice if you think an animal has eaten a poisonous plant

Plant and Fungi Poisons Information

Urgent cases: Kew is unable to offer emergency assistance in cases of suspected poisoning. If you are at all concerned, seek medical attention at an Accident and Emergency Department, taking a sample of the plant or fungus/mushroom with you.General enquiries: General enquiries about fungus/mushroom toxicity can be sent to fungus-poisons@kew.org. Please note Kew is unable to answer enquiries about plant toxicity at the present time.

Plants potentially harmful to people

This list of plants mirrors the HTA (Horticultural Trades Association) guidelines and includes garden plants and houseplants that have been known to cause injury, either by contact or after being eaten.

All these plants are safe to grow provided they are treated with respect. Remember, they are ornamental plants, often very beautiful - they are not meant to be eaten. Avoid contamination by wearing gloves and covering your skin.